


An Exercise In Love

by J_D_McCormick



Category: Batman - All Media Types
Genre: Bonding, Bruce Wayne is a Good Parent, Dont copy to another site, Father-Son Relationship, Gen, just cute cute fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-08
Updated: 2019-09-08
Packaged: 2020-10-12 18:20:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 892
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20568785
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/J_D_McCormick/pseuds/J_D_McCormick
Summary: "Damian? Is everything alright?" Bruce asks, brow burrowing in concern. To say Damian dislikes physical contact would be a lie, but he is not usually so outwardly seeking of it."Yes, Father." Damian nods. "I am simply practicing the act of hugging."It takes Bruce a moment to absorb that, parse out the meaning from his child's very serious tone - but once he does, he chuckles, smiling down at Damian."Practicing hugging, hmm?" He asks.





	An Exercise In Love

**Author's Note:**

> SO a friend of mine on a Discord server came up with this beautiful nugget:
> 
> "HEY CAN YOU IMAGINE DAMIAN DOING B PRACTICE HUGS? AND HE'D TRY TO EXCUSE THEM AS PRACTICE WHEN HE'S JUST TRYING TO COMFORT SOMEONE  
"i need this skill to fit in better during infiltration and this is just practice i do not actually CARE""
> 
> So thanks Rendy, this one's for u

It's a fairly calm, quiet day at Wayne Manor. It's nice, Bruce thinks, actually relaxing; he knows where all of his kids are, safe inside the house, and there's no pressing business or criminal matters. It is a nice day out, even, and Bruce has decided to sit out on the back porch and read.

He's been out there a few hours when he hears the sliding door open. He expects for it to be Alfred, coming with a cold drink and a lecture on heatstroke.

He doesn't expect for little arms to wrap around his shoulders from behind.

He turns and sees Damian, hugging around his shoulders, cheek squishing against one of them.

"Damian? Is everything alright?" Bruce asks, brow burrowing in concern. To say Damian dislikes physical contact would be a lie, but he is not usually so outwardly seeking of it.

"Yes, Father." Damian nods. "I am simply practicing the act of hugging."

It takes Bruce a moment to absorb that, parse out the meaning from his child's very serious tone - but once he does, he chuckles, smiling down at Damian.

"Practicing hugging, hmm?" He asks. Damian turns his nose up a little snootily, nodding.

"Yes. It has come to my attention that hugging is an act commonly expected of me, in both areas of my life. Therefore, it is imperative that I be good at it." He says.

"You don't have to hug people, if you don't want to." Bruce points out to him. Damian tuts.

"It is an effective method of comforting. As Robin, the ability to comfort children is imperative. And Richard insists on hugging, a lot. It is not uncomfortable but perhaps if I were better at it, he would spend less time on it." Damian tells him. Bruce smiles slightly. Under the brusque, proper facade, he thinks maybe Damian just likes hugs, and is seeking a way to justify asking for them.

"Hmm, well. I believe you are improving already." Bruce tells him. "Though, perhaps you would like me to demonstrate for you?"

"I am amenable to that." Damian nods. Bruce smirks, grabbing Damian and tugging him over his shoulder and into his lap, making the boy yelp in surprise, before he squeezes him in a tight hug.

"Father!" Damian protests, wriggling and pushing at Bruce. But, when he looks down, the boy is fighting off a smile. His next protest comes out on a repressed laugh. "Fa-_ther_! Unhand me!"

Bruce chuckles, giving Damian a last squeeze before releasing the embrace. Although Damian pulls back from his chest, he stays in his lap, huffing exaggeratedly as he smooths out his clothing. Bruce looks down at him - still small, not quite on the cusp of his growth spurt, still round-faced and cute. He looks like Dick, when he'd first come to the manor, though far more serious, far less innocent. So much more touch-starved, but with no frame of how to seek affections. Bruce can’t help but reach out and brush over one of those soft round cheeks.

"Show that one to Dick. I'm sure he'll be impressed." He says. It comes out a little softer than he intended, and Damian glances up at him.

"I should ensure I have the technique correct before attempting to show off." He says, as serious as ever.

“Hmm. I suppose so.” Bruce nods, serious in response, and then he suddenly has an arm full of 11-year-old as Damian barrels himself into his chest. Bruce makes a small ‘oof!’ of surprise, then chuckles quietly, feeling Damian squeezing him as tightly as possible.

Bruce wraps his arms around Damian and squeezes back gently. He can’t help but think of the hugs he could have given his son, had he known about him sooner; the gentle cradle of his arm, tickled stomachs and kissed cheeks, the bob and sway of comforting, excited run-ups and leaps into arm that are open and waiting. Perhaps he would be able to ruffle his hair without him shying away. Perhaps he could have roughhoused with him, like he did with Dick as a young boy, without it being training or risking a knife being pulled. Perhaps, maybe, what if.

As it is, Bruce is glad he gets to hug his son at all – even if the child feels he needs to justify his desire for affections.

“I love you, Damian.” He hums softly, burying his nose in soft black hair. Damian’s hug loosens for a moment, hesitant, uncertain, before it returns with even more strength.

“And I you, Father.” Damian whispers back. Bruce presses a kiss amongst that unruly hair, and shuffles Damian in his arms a little, so that he’s tucked against his side, resting in the crook of an arm.

“Would you like to accompany me while I read? You may continue your practice as I do so.” Bruce offers. Damian settles down into his little nook, arm stretched over Bruce’s chest, little hand fisted and resting at his heart.

“I would like that.” Damian nods. He rests his head against Bruce’s chest, and Bruce takes a moment to look at the squish of his cheek as he does so. Then, he clears his throat and begins to read from his book, low and steady.

He spends the next hours hugging his son as he dozes, wondering how he got so lucky.

**Author's Note:**

> Pretty short and sweet, but hopefully enjoyable!! Comments and feedback, as always, very much appreciated. Thank you for reading.


End file.
